Todd Chrisley's Wife Julie Survived Cancer Which Took Their Marriage to Another Level

Two years before Todd Chrisley and his wife, Julie, started working on their famous TV show "Chrisley Knows Best," she was diagnosed with breast cancer.

It was 2012, and two of Todd's friends had been diagnosed with cancer. As a preventive measure, he told Julie that they should get colonoscopies done. He also suggested that she should get a mammogram.

Surgeons noticed that she actually had two tumors.

JULIE'S BREAST CANCER

Todd's recommendation could have been considered unnecessary because Julie was 39 years old (most doctors recommend women to get annual mammograms after they turn 40), and her family had no history of breast cancer.

However, as we learned from our exclusive interview with breast cancer survivor and creator of the I Have Wings Foundation Janet Chambers, it is not unusual to develop cancer with no family history of the disease.

Fortunately, Julie followed her husband's recommendation, although she revealed that she only did it so "he would shut up" and leave her alone. After getting the test done, her doctor told her that they needed more images.

Initially, she was not worried because some of her friends told her that women with large breasts could have them denser and more fibrous, so doctors usually ask for more tests.

LUMPECTOMY OR MASTECTOMY?

However, a few days later, she got a call from the hospital telling her that she needed to get a biopsy as techs found a small growth that needed to be evaluated.

Following the biopsy, her doctor confirmed that it was indeed a malignant tumor and that she needed to get treatment. Even at that point, Julie was not worried, Todd, on the other hand, "didn't sleep for three weeks."

Todd and Julie Chrisley, who have been married since May 1996, decided that she would be treated at Johns Hopkins Medical Center. Once there, an oncologist suggested a lumpectomy – when only a portion of the breast is removed.

Julie was not sure about it, though, as she felt that a double mastectomy – when all breast tissue is removed – could be a better option because it shows lower recurrence rates.

It was not an easy decision, especially because Julie's breast had been important for her throughout her life. Thankfully, the surgery was successful and, since doctors found that her cancer had not spread to her lymph nodes, she didn't need chemotherapy.

Apart from that, getting a double mastectomy was the best choice because surgeons noticed that she actually had two tumors in the middle of the surgery.

TODD AND JULIE'S RELATIONSHIP EVOLVED

Julie had to wait a few weeks before getting reconstructive surgery, and according to her, during those days, her relationship with Todd went "to a whole new level."

During an interview with The Tennessean, the TV personality recalled that two days after her mastectomy, she was feeling very vulnerable.

Knowing that it would make her feel better, Todd urged her to get in the shower with him so that he could help her wash her hair.

Julie was scared because she didn't know how her husband would react when he saw her nude body only days after her breasts were removed.

Once they were in the shower and he took off her bandages, she broke into tears. Todd, however, kept telling her, "you're fine; you look great." About that beautiful moment, Julie said:

"I truly believe that that moment took our relationship to a whole new level because he never flinched."

TODD CHRISLEY'S COVID-19 DIAGNOSIS

After finally getting her breasts implants, Julie felt like a new woman. From that point on, she has adopted a healthy lifestyle and has been getting regular checkups. Nowadays, she is cancer-free.

Unfortunately, Julie is not the only member of the family who has dealt with a dangerous disease. Savannah Chrisley, one of Todd's kids, recently gave an update on her father's condition following his COVID-19 diagnosis.

The TV personality spent a few days in the hospital after being sick for a couple of weeks but, fortunately, he is finally home with his family.

Savannah pointed out that Todd Chrisley felt "75% better," that his peculiar personality finally came back, and that his "mischievous smile" was never going to give up.